The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-08-20
A BURNING STEAMSHIP.
The CITY of Montreal Of the Inman
Line Destroyed.
Assistance Brought to the Vicinity
by the Fires Glare.
One 30 at Containing Thirteen Per.
sons Believed to be Lost.

LONDON, August 19.->The Inman Line
steamer City of Montreal has been DESTROYED
by fire at sea. The news of the burning was
learned upon the arrival at Queenstown this
morning of the British steamer York Citv,
which left Baltimore August 4th for Lon
don. This steamer rescued the passengers
and crew from the burning vessel and
brought them to Queenstown. The CITY of
Montreal left New York August 9th for I.iv-
erpool. The destruction of the steamer oc-
Cured on the 1lth inst, five DAYS after
she left New York. A boat containg six
passengers and seven members of the crew
is missing. The passengers and crew of ths
City of Montreal were taken off the York
City by the tug Mountain and landed at
Queenstown. All were accounted for ex-
cept the thirteen in the missing boat
outbreaking Of the Fire.
Shortly after the passengers had gone to
bed on the night Of the 10th, the ship being
in latitude 4S at the tiIae, they were aroused
by the alarm of fire. A scene of confusion
ensued, and the passengers were greatly ter
rified when they found ont the truth of af-
fairs. The smoke caused by the fire was
suffocating. The passengers dressed and got
on deck as quickly as possible, and with but
little appearance of panic. The fire orig-
mated IN the cotton stored in the aft main
hold. Nine streams of water were soon
working ON the flames and the course of the
vessel was shaped toward Newfoundland,
400 miles distant. The flames spread with
great rapldlty and soon had burst with ter
rife force through the midway after matches,
the neat becoming intense. 1t becoming evil
dent that 1t was impossible to save the ship a
momentary panic ensued.
Taking to the Boats.
The boats were eight in number, four be-
ing life boats and four pinnaces. They were
launched and stocked with provisions. At
O'Clock in the morning the passengers were
marshalled on deck, preparatory to entering
the boats Many were weeping but every
thing was quiet and orderly. The family
groups presented sight pitiful to see as
they huddled together in fear and trembling.
A heavy sea was running and il was with
great difficulty that the boats were kept from
being smashed. The crew worked splen-
boats in a comparatively short time How
the boats tioated with their heavy loads is
mystery. AS the last boat was putting off
from the ship, several of the passengers and
crew were, seen aft. They had been over
looked and were screaming TO the boats
They were subsequently rescued, half dead
from the smoke and heat
The unIucky Number.
When the boats were lowered and the pas
sengers and crew got into them, they soon
scattered. One entirely disappeared. This
one contained two stewards, four seamen
and seven passengers, and there is but little
doubt that the boat load perished. The boat |
did not contain a full crew and left the shin |
against the captains orders, as there was |
time to take many more in it. The fate of |
the occupants of the lost boat serves as a |
judgment for their cowardice
The captain of the bark Trabant under |
took to cruise around after the York CITY |
left the scene of the burning. There IS. |
therefore, reason to hope the missing boat |
has been found and the people rescued.
Rescued by Passing Vessels.
bark was sighted shortly after the boats
left the steamer and her crew were pre-
pairing to pick up the survivors when the
steamer York City, attracted by the flames
from the burning vessel, bore down and with |
difficulty, took all hands on board The |
survivors are unanimous in declaring that |
the officers and crew of the City of Montreal /
didt heir duty. The burned vessel had mis-
cellaneous cargo, including 1000 bales of |
cotton. She was commanded by Capt |
Fracis S. Land. and had crew of SO men.
she carried no irst-class passengers, but
had 20 intermediate and so steerage passen-
gers.
What Captain Land Says.
QUEENSTOWN, Aug. 19-Captain Land of
the burned steamer City of Montreal, thinks
the occupants of the missing boat must sure
ly be picked up, as the disaster happened in
the track of all the steamers The fire broke
out at p. m. of the 10th inst The ship
was abandoned at a. m. of the 11th All
the boats save one was picked up the same
day by the German barqne Trabant and
transferred to the steamer York City.